With One Week To Go Before Cutdown Day, Here’s Who Should Be On Jets 53-Man Roster
NewYorkJets.com
Those on the Jets’ roster bubble have just one more week to make their cases, with Friday’s home tilt versus Philadelphia the final preseason game.
Getting down to 53 is somewhat more difficult this season, as General Manager Joe Douglas has succeeded in bringing in some depth at certain positions, though others are still awfully thin. Below is my list of who SHOULD make it, as opposed to who will, with notable cuts explained:
Quarterback:
Starter: Zach Wilson
Backup: Mike White
Cut: James Morgan
There’s absolutely no reason for Douglas to keep three quarterbacks who have never taken a snap in an NFL regular season game. White, who left Saturday’s 23-14 Jets victory in Green Bay during the second half due to a rib injury, should be eventually replaced by someone with experience off the waiver wire. As for Morgan, Douglas’ fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, what has he done to make anyone believe that he will be snatched up by another team before the Jets could put him on the practice squad?
Running Back:
Starter: Tevin Coleman
Backups: Ty Johnson, Michael Carter, Trevon Wesco (FB)
Cut: La’Mical Perine, Josh Adams
With so many areas that need fortification, it would be criminal for the Jets to carry extra RBs. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur has been trying out Perine as a short yardage back, with erratic results. To be fair, Perine reportedly has been solid in training camp practices, but there is absolutely no reason to save roster slots for him and Carter. I actually like Adams, but the fact that he received zero offensive snaps on Saturday is probably a strong indication as to where he stands in the pecking order.
Wide receivers:
Starters: Corey Davis, Keelan Cole, Jamison Crowder
Backups: Elijah Moore, Vyncint Smith, Denzel Mims, Braxton Berrios
Cut: Jeff Smith, Josh Malone, Lawrence Cager
The end result for this group will be fascinating, since the Jets have been all over the map when it comes to receiver playing time this preseason. Cole was demoted in Green Bay in favor of Jeff Smith, who isn’t even the best Smith in camp. Vyncint has about 8 times more receiving yards in just 4 extra pass routes run this preseason, per ProFootballFocus.com. Malone has also gotten long looks while Mims has been fighting injuries pretty much since he got here after being picked in the second round in the 2020 Draft. Hopefully, the Jets can sneak Cager onto the practice squad like last season.
Tight ends:
Starter: Tyler Kroft
Backups: Chris Herndon, Ryan Griffin
Cut: Daniel Brown, Kenny Yeboah
Understanding that Kroft’s two touchdown receptions on Saturday came against Packers reserves, I figure this will be a rotation all season. Herndon and Griffin will both play a bunch and Wesco will be flexed around in different formations. Brown defied odds by making the team last season though I don’t get the value the Jets perceive he has on special teams. Yeboah is what the practice squad was made for.
Offensive line:
Starters: Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Connor McGovern, Greg Van Roten, Morgan Moses
Backups: George Fant, Grant Hermanns, Dan Feeney, Jimmy Murray
Cut: Chuma Edoga
Injuries and the sudden retirement of guard Alex Lewis has taken what could have been a fairly deep unit down to critical status. Fant is really the only reliable backup. With Conor McDermott likely headed for injured reserve, I chose Hermanns, who has yet to allow a pressure in 32 pass blocking snaps, per PFF, for the opposite backup tackle spot over Edoga, who is also sidelined with a knee injury. Feeney and Murray both stink, so write their names down in pencil even if they both end up making it due to a current lack of options. Maybe David Moore will show us something on Friday after receiving just 6 snaps on Saturday.
Defensive line:
Starters: John Franklin-Myers, Quinnen Williams, Sheldon Rankins, Bryce Huff
Backups: Folorunso Fatukasi, Nathan Shepherd, Ronald Blair, Jabari Zuniga
Cut: Hamilcar Rashed Jr.
This unit looks far less imposing with Carl Lawson on season-ending IR after rupturing his Achilles last week. His edge spot will turn into a committee approach, which could use a boost from Vinny Curry’s activation off the PUP list as soon as possible. Other injuries will likely save 2020 third-round pick Zuniga from the ax after another nondescript/injured preseason with the team.
Linebackers:
Starters: C.J. Mosley, Hamsah Nasirildeen, Jamien Sherwood
Backups: Blake Cashman, Noah Dawkins
Two rookies who are converting from safety to linebacker are slated to flank Mosley in the Jets 4-3 base defense on Opening Day in Carolina in three weeks after Head Coach Robert Saleh announced on Monday that the ankle injury to Jarrad Davis in the Green Bay game will keep him out until after the Jets bye week in Week 6. It’s a fast unit, especially when compared to previous iterations, but unproven. Saleh heaped praise on Dawkins after he started in Nasirildeen’s spot on Saturday and Cashman’s issue has always been his inability to stay on the field. I do expect the Jets to play a lot of nickel, which will push one of the rookies off the field, but the run defense bears watching.
Cornerbacks:
Starters: Bryce Hall, Bless Austin, Javelin Guidry (slot)
Backups: Michael Carter II, Brandin Echols, Isaiah Dunn, Jason Pinnock, Justin Hardee
Cut: Lamar Jackson
Oof. Expect this to be the team’s most fluid position group over the course of the season. Saleh has to keep extra bodies here at the start because of the potential for numerous benchings for poor performance. Too bad Corey Ballantine couldn’t cover a traffic cone because he was an explosive kick returner, which wasn’t enough to save him from being released on Monday. Jackson, who will forever be known as the CB exposed by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ fateful all-out blitz that cost the Jets at the end of the Raiders game last season, has reportedly outperformed Dunn in camp, but the organization seems to be high on the undrafted free agent, giving him a rather large guarantee. On a positive note, the slot appears to be well-managed with both Guidry and Carter having strong camps.
Safeties:
Starters: Marcus Maye, Lamarcus Joyner
Backups: J.T. Hassell, Sharrod Neasman
Cut: Bennett Jackson
2020 third-round pick Ashtyn Davis will return from injury at some point, but until then, Hassell and Neasman should be safe.
Specialists:
Kicker: Matt Ammendola
Punter: Braden Mann
Long snapper: Thomas Hennessy
No drama here—yet.